Jon Cooper

A rapist who carried out a sex attack on teeange girl while he was armed with a knife has been locked-up for six years.

Derby Crown Court heard last week how Curtis Myers, 21, of Tapton View Road, Newbold, Chesterfield, forced himself on the victim and snatched her phone from her so she could not tell anyone about the attack.

Pictured is Curtis Myers, 21, of Tapton View Road, Newbold, Chesterfield, who has been sentenced to six years of custody after he pleaded guilty to rape and stalking.

Myers also followed his victim to school the following day, according to the court, and sent her texts to ensure she did not tell anyone but she told family and police were alerted.

Barrister Sarah Allen, prosecuting, revealed the incident has had a traumatic effect on the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and she does not feel safe in her own home.

Judge Shaun Smith QC, who had read a psychiatric assessment and a pre-sentence report before sentencing Myers to six years of custody, told him: “The doctor is in no doubt you present a significant risk of causing serious harm against females and the probation service say your risk of harm is sexual, physical and emotional. I am in no doubt you are dangerous.

“You carried a knife in your hand. There is no suggestion you used the knife in order to have sex with her or pointed it at her.

Pictured is Derby Crown Court.

“But it is very concerning that you chose to keep hold of the knife when you raped her. It has led me to believe you felt you were more empowered by holding the knife.”

Miss Allen said the rape took place at a house in Derbyshire on May 15.

She added that the day after the rape Myers followed the girl to school and then sent up to 80 text messages.

Myers admitted fully what he had done in his police interview and later pleaded guilty to rape and stalking.

Defence solicitor Kevin Tomlinson, mitigating for Myers, said his client was “a young man with no previous convictions” and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added: “He is somebody that has the support of his family and that support will remain when he is released from custody.

“The psychiatric report shows him to be someone who has an emotionally unstable personality.”